US Department of Labor finds 3 employers' safety failures contributed to laborer's fatal fall

TALLAHASSEE, FL – Three construction contractors might have prevented the death of a 31-year-old laborer who suffered fatal injuries after falling while installing roof trusses at a Tallahassee work site on Aug. 17, 2022, a federal workplace safety investigation has found.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined the employee of Big Hammer LLC was installing roof trusses and attempting to upright the truss after a crane released it, causing the worker to fall 12 feet to the ground. The laborer suffered critical injuries and was transported to a local hospital where they died later that day.

After investigating multiple employers at the site, OSHA issued citations to the project's prime contractor, Mad Dog Design and Construction Company Inc., and subcontractors, Big Hammer LLC and Forgotten Coast Crane Service Inc.

"A worker's life was needlessly lost because the employers did not follow required construction safety procedures," said OSHA Acting Area Office Director Scott Tisdale in Jacksonville, Florida. "Employers must never overlook fundamental industry safety procedures, such as safety communication and fall protection systems. Ignoring them puts workers at risk and can lead to tragedies like this one."

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